05th September 2017 The Prime Minister of Cook Islands and outgoing chair of the Pacific Islands Forum’s Small Island States (SIS) group Hon Henry Puna has urged members to advance their efforts in order to transform the SIS Regional Strategy Plan into action.
“The development and adoption of the SIS regional strategy at our meeting last year was a significant milestone. But then in my view it’s only the beginning. We will need to elevate our efforts this year that we are to translate this plan into action and most importantly bring tangible benefits for our people.”
He stressed to SIS leaders the need to give careful consideration to the sustainable financing initiative given the high financing impact on small island states.
Secretary General of the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat Dame Meg Taylor said the SIS Leaders Meeting is a platform to discuss how issues of SIS can be constructively tackled.
She stated, “One avenue to achieving this maybe is through the endorsement of the SIS Strategies Companion Implementation Plan.”
Taylor said the agenda of the meeting include recommendations on air services and labour mobility which are initiatives that seek to bring SIS countries closer together.
“It also presents the possibilities of joined SIS proposals to the Green Climate Fund, an initiative which will require great cooperation, coordination and collaboration between the secretariat and your respected administrations.”
The meeting also observed a moment of silence to remember two Marshallese climate champions, the late Mr. Tony deBrum and Hon Mattlan Zackhras.
The new chair of the SIS Leaders Meeting is the President of Nauru Hon Baron Waqa.
SIS is made up of eight countries in the Pacific including Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau and Tuvalu.
ENDS
Issued by the Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communication